Newcastle United have contingency plans in place should they need to sign another goalkeeper this summer, given the uncertainty which surrounds the future of three of their current shot-stoppers.
While Martin Dubravka is established as the club's No 1, having played every minute of the 2018/19 Premier League campaign, all three of Rob Elliot, Karl Darlow and Freddie Woodman's situations could be affected by whether Rafa Benitez signs a next Magpies contract.
The Spaniard has explored the possibility of bringing in another quality goalkeeper who can compete with Slovakia international Dubravka for a starting role.
Both Paris Saint-Germain shot-stopper Kevin Trapp - who spent the season on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt - and Nice goalkeeper Walter Benitez have been linked with the Magpies, and it is understood that Newcastle's scouts have watched a number of shot-stoppers across Europe over the course of the past six months.
That is because all three of Darlow, Elliot and Woodman are about to enter the final year of their Newcastle contracts, and none of the trio are certain to be on Tyneside come the start of the 2019/20 campaign.
Elliot was transfer-listed in January and it is understood that the 33-year-old also spent the final few weeks of the 2018/19 season training at the Academy with the Under-23 squad, rather than with the first team, after Benitez opted to move the senior goalkeeper to Little Benton.
The Republic of Ireland international is settled on Tyneside and would prefer to stay at Newcastle, though Elliot's best chance of having a long-term future at St James' Park will be if Benitez departs.
Darlow, meanwhile, is keen for regular gametime and the 28-year-old may need to leave United in order to earn a No 1 spot elsewhere.
As for Woodman, while Newcastle are desperate to keep the 22-year-old, the goalkeeper himself has been left frustrated by his lack of loan moves - and he has refused to sign a new deal as a result.
Premier League clubs are believed to be tracking the England Under-21 international and Newcastle's resolve may be tested if they receive a substantial offer for Woodman this summer.
With Benitez keen to have three senior goalkeepers in his Premier League squad at any given time, the United recruitment department have been identifying potential goalkeeper targets around Europe in case the Magpies lose any of their shot-stoppers this summer.
